Knowre for Enrichment

The Challenge

Rosaline Williams teaches a group of honors math students at Castle Dome Middle School. After her students breezed through the standard 7th grade core math curriculum, Rosaline looked for a program that could provide enrichment while empowering students to learn independently.

The Solution

How do you use Knowre in your classroom?

The first 40-minutes or so of class is spent on the core 7th grade math curriculum. Then, I have my students get on their computers for 15-20 minutes on Knowre. Since these are advanced kids, we usually get through the core lesson pretty quickly, so I’m using Knowre as an extension on top of the core curriculum. I have the kids learn a lesson on their own from Knowre, then have them come to me with questions. I usually assign 1 or 2 lessons per week, which they will work on in class each day. Whatever is left is assigned as homework to be completed at home.

How are you using the data in the Teacher Dashboard?

The data is really helpful. The color coding is awesome. At a glance, it’s very easy to see how my students are doing. I look at the data every day and tell my students that I see this and that and then we’ll talk about what’s going on. By giving them feedback, we can address where they’re having trouble. I’ll sometimes see if their scores haven’t gone up or if they haven’t worked on a lesson and use that data to address problem areas as well.

The Result

Which Knowre features do you like best?

The students love the instructional videos. In fact, I require them to take notes as they are watching the videos. When it comes time for me to give a test, they can review concepts by referring back to their notes, rewatching the videos, or going through the practice problems. I also like that Knowre’s application questions, which can involve word problems or diagrams, challenge my student think at a higher level.

How has Knowre impacted your students?

My students are really excited to work on their own. I encourage my students to work together when they get stuck, so you’ll see them whispering together. Knowre is a great way to teach the students to take their education into their own hands and not depend on their teachers.

“Knowre is a great way to teach the students to take their education into their own hands.”